Abstract:
The management of healthcare waste is an emergent public health and environmental
problem in Bangladesh in general and Khulna city in particular. In Khulna city. therc are
about 110 registered hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centers, generating about 1,883 kg
of waste per day. The generation rate of total healthcare waste and hazardous healthcare
waste in Khulna city has been found 0.85 kg/bcd/day and 0.15 kg/bcd/day, respectively
and the hazardous portion accounts around 15% of the total generated waste. Generation
rate of waste in the Gov!. hospitals (0.87kg/bed/day.) is slightly higher than the private
hospitals (0.84kg/bed/day).
Assessment of management system indicates that most of the worker (around 56%) did
not receive any form of training for how to handle hazardous waste. And many (around
47%) of them did not use safety equipments and clothing. It is found from the study that.
the average expenditure of existing waste management system of Gov!. hospital, Privatc
hospital and Diagnostic centre arc Tk.13/kg of waste, Tk. 25/kg of waste and Tk.63/kg of
waste respectively. Assessment of cost of different treatment options indicate that thc
cost of incineration will be around Tk. 28.00/kg of waste. The cost of microwaving will
be Tk. 27.00/kg of waste and the cost of autoclaving will bc Tk. 24.00/kg of waste. All
types of hazardous healthcare wastes can be treatcd by incinerator and there arc
significant reductions in volume of wastes (90-95%). Microwaving is not suitable for
pathological waste; reduction in volume is comparatively less than incineration (60-
90%). On the other hand autoclaving is not suitable for pathological waste and no
reduction in volume.
The application of this research will contribute to provide appropriate guideline ti.1rthc
future planning and design healthcare waste management in Khulna city.
